Valentine’s gifts for men are so tricky. I mean, seriously.
No guy wants the flowers and heart of chocolates. He probably doesn’t even want a Valentine’s Day card if he’s being honest.
If your guy is into working out, drinking, or tech/gaming you have a few more options, but didn’t we just survive Christmas gifts for men just a couple of months ago??
And so, at our house, Valentine’s day gets set aside as one of those obligatory gift-giving days when we’d rather save our money and celebrate on a day that’s special for us, our anniversary (coming up in a few months).
This year is especially tricky because my husband just survived a really rough few days in the dog house. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say it ended with him setting up a super-special weeknight date at Carrabba’s. He asked our local Carrabba’s for a special night and they totally delivered. It was awesome. Except for the part about my husband being in the dog house. But, thankfully, like a good marriage should, we’ve bounced back.
But the thing is that we just had a quiet dinner out. And we gave our best gifts a couple of months ago. And we all know those flowers are going to wilt in a week anyway. And, ahem, I definitely do not need chocolate.
Gifts for Men for Valentines
And so, this year I’m just not feeling the Valentine’s Day vibe.
We were in Costco a few days ago walking past all their gorgeous Valentine’s day flowers when I remembered to ask him if he had plans for Valentines.
I think he thought I was putting him on the spot, but really I was just checking to make sure he hadn’t come up with any elaborate plan that would put me behind the game.
Thankfully, there was no plan. And while he was eager to offer to get me flowers, chocolates and the whole nine, I gladly declined.
But, I can’t tell you the look of relief on his face when I told him I actually didn’t even want flowers this year. I didn’t even really care about a card (that’s my typical bare-minimum must-do for the holidays. Good grief. A card isn’t too much to ask, right??).
So, he offered to get some chocolates. Nope. No thanks.
“Are you sure?” he says.
What A Man Really Wants For Valentine’s
Seriously, y’all. That look of relief on his face was priceless.
He was making sure he wasn’t in trouble for not doing those things, but I could tell he was so happy not to have to sneak and stop at the grocery store on his way home from work.
Or to make a trip out on his lunch break to pick up a card and chocolates.
And seriously, I’m cool without those things this year. Because I’m happy to have my husband. And I’m glad he’s still happily married (even if he slips up and gets into the doghouse sometimes).
So, if you aren’t sure what Valentine’s gifts for men to get this year, give them a free pass for the day. Or the next holiday.
Make sure they don’t already have something in the works, and then just totally let them off the hook and see how it goes.
Especially if you’ve been married or dating for a while.
And then, come back here and let me know how it goes. 😀
Are you busy this holiday season? Who isn’t? I’m saving some time this holiday season by snagging a Christmas wreat for my front door from Amazon instead of making my own DIY wreath.
The good news is that Amazon has an awesome selection of wreaths this year. And, while I’m at it, I might as well pick a few more. Wreaths are such an easy decorating element. They can pretty much decorate a space all alone. Can’t beat that.
So, I’m looking at these and deciding where to put them, front door, back door, kitchen, all the important spots.
So, here are the wreath ideas I picked from Amazon, and let me know your vote for best front door wreath (psst, my front door is dark brown (and super boring!)).
This one has clear lights and a little more color. Decisions, decisions…either one would match my front door fine. They both look so Christmasy. I just love the holidays.
This little guy isn’t a wreath, but he is perfect for the mailbox. It has a timer so I don’t even have to remember to turn it on. The less we have to think about during the holidays the better.
How about adding in a touch of simplicity to the holidays. Because we could all use a little more simplicity, amiright? This one would go great with farmhouse decor.
How about this one? This one might have a learning curve. It has a timer and 9 functions. Whoa. I wonder if it would sweep the sidewalk and wash the dishes!
I don’t know what you think, but I like this wreath. It seems luxurious. Maybe because it’s larger and fuller but it’s really lovely. Plus, who doesn’t love a wreath called “Cashmere Pine?”
This one is great too. I think it looks like it should go on a large house. It has a big house look. You know like a mansion or something. Since I totally have one of those this year. 😉
How festive is this one?! Colorful and battery operated, yet another contender for the front door. Pine cones, red berries, and spruce with 50 lights. What more could you ask for?
This one looks just like one my mom used to have. It’s a timeless classic. Just like my mom. <3 But it needs a bow. Maybe burlap? Not my mom. She’s good without a bow.
BONUS!
If you’re into blue Christmas decor, I absolutely love this ornament wreath! It’s so vibrant and festive, plus you can support a small business owner. <3 Who can beat that?
So there ya go. There are my picks on wreaths for this year. So many good choices and so few front doors. What to do? I guess I’ll just have to sprinkle the house in wreaths, dining room, kitchen, mantle, potty room, laundry room? We all need lots of wreaths, right? Don’t tell me I’m the only one who can’t decide which one to get. Seriously. Which one?
Oh! And. If I’m going to get like 15 wreaths for my whole house, I’m going to have to store them (and all the other wreaths I currently own). So, I’m considering this a “necessity” in my Christmas budget this year. Need to protect my (wreath) investment, right?
Plus, seriously. I’m a grownup. I need a wreath box.
If you’re like me and ready for a fresh Christmas mantle arrangement, I’ve got the post for you. We all know how amazingly convenient Amazon is for regular life stuff, but did you know they have a ton of awesome Christmas decor, too?!
I know, right?
Well, I rounded up some of my favorite mantle decor items that I found on Amazon and here’s what I’m thinking about doing with them.
Pretty plain and totally average, right? I actually love our fireplace, but it is pretty plain, admittedly (except for that crazy stone hearth on the floor??? What’s up with that wierdness??).
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
Christmas Stockings on Amazon
Before we jump straight into full mantle decor, can we just take a minute and talk christmas stockings???
So, here’s what I’ve gathered from over the years. Basically, the stockings set the tone for your Christmas decor. At least (especially) in your mantle area. So, here I am about to design my mantle and I can’t decide on stocking style! Yikes.
I love burlap & lace vibe that’s been showing up recently, but now there’s buffalo check, which I love, too. It’s like buffalo check is modern farmhouse’s big brother, right? Burlap and lace is the little sister and buffalo check is the big brother. Okay, but at least they’re in the same family (even though they look nothing alike), so I’m going to go with one of these choices. Buffalo check, burlap & lace, or compromise with sweater.
Which one would you pick? I read the sweater ones are super nice.
I’m loving this set of burlap stockings. They’re all a little different, which I love.
And while we’re on the topic of stockings, HAVE YOU SEEN THESE???? They’re these super tuff stocking holders. It basically clips onto your mantle and holds up your stocking. No worries about breaking anything, nails, or the stocking falling off the mantle after it’s crammed full in at midnight on Christmas eve.
And below the mantle, I have an empty fireplace just begging for some light. My husband would say it’s begging for a fire, but I can just smell the lingering smoke smell in our house when March rolls around. Plus, we’ve never had it inspected and it makes me a little nervous. Yikes. I think these are pretty romantic, way less smelly & dusty, and a lot safer, especially with a little in the house. Plus, they have a remote and a timer, because, who wants to have to remember to turn these things on and off all the time (or heaven forbid, actually turn on all 9 of them on one at a time!!).
Then, I’m thinking about getting these rustic olive buckets and flanking the fireplace with them. They’ll either get pinecones or some kind of pine tree branch.
The picture makes them look flat, but I read on the reviews they’re actually round.
Pinecones. Because the ones coming out of my backyard look like the rejects of the pinecone world. There’s always one part that’s smushed or the pine cone things are falling out. Plus, these have been dried, so they’re bug free. Now, that’s what I’m talking about.
And to tie it all together, I might add a few pinecones up on the mantle in the middle in a cool wooden box like this one. I can see all kinds of DIY possibilities with this handly little box. If I was gutsy, I would probably print “North Pole Pine Cones 5¢” Wouldn’t that be cute??
Plus this box has a liner, so it could be used for other things, too (especialy if you don’t stamp something christmassy on it).
And centered above the box, I’d add this awesome wreath. Because who doesn’t want an awesome white snowy wreath at Christmas time?? Plus, it’s lighted? Yes, please.
And on either side of my pinecone box, I’m seeing these cute little lanterns. Also remote-controlled. I could really get into this remote control thing. Plus, they come as a pair. Can’t beat that.
And opposite the olive buckets, I’m thinking I’ll need a message. I love incorporating words or type in my decor, and this little number is just perfect for that. Plus, you can use it throughout the year! Win win.
Okay. So, while I really like the plain chalkboard, I also kind-of like this advent calendar. We’ve never really done an advent calendar in our house (even though I used to have one as a kid), so it might be a fun new tradition to start. Maybe, I get both and add one to another room?
I’m a total sucker for these deer things. We’ve had a set every year, but I somehow manage to break a limb or antler at least once per year. So, needless to say, last year they finally couldn’t be glued back together anymore, and they had to go. Looks like they just need a replacement.
And a mantle isn’t a mantle without some garland and lights. Amiright?
I adore this National Tree company because all their greenery looks SO REAL. Just one strand of this garland and my entire mantle will be dripping with real holiday-ness. Seriously.
So, there you have it. It’s my plan to update my Christmas mantle this year. Is there anything here that you would switch out if you were me? I’m definitely open to suggestions and I have a few weeks left before I place my big mantle decor order!
Gift guides for women can get pretty boring. Let’s face it. There’s only so many pairs of slippers and necklaces we can wear at once, and there are so many awesome things a girl wants. And even if you are a girl, thinking up great gift ideas for women can still be challenging.
So, today, I’m going to give you some great gift ideas for her, whoever “her” is. 😉
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Does she like music? Or podcasts? I would listen to music 24 hours a day if I could. I always carry a bluetooth speaker with me whenever I go outside or start a project at home. The music carries me through the hard parts of the chore and I end up in a much better mood than I would have been.
Tile Finder
I’m a busy mom. I lose things. My keys. My phone. The remote. This Tile finder thing has been on my wishlist for 2 Christmas’s now. It helps you find stuff. They even have one for lost luggage. Whoah. It will even make your phone ring if it’s on silent so you can find your phone.
Battery Backup
I don’t know many women who can keep a charge on their phone through the day (I’m not sure if it’s a girl problem or just a phone problem, but it’s a common theme). This is one of the best-rated portable chargers on Amazon. Plus, it’s white. Who doesn’t love a white electronic device? Plus everyone is happy if mom’s phone is charged! Finally.
They really save the day to hold all the mom-things I carry around all the time (think: bandaids, fingernail clippers, tiny shopping bag). These are actually way cuter than mine, so they’re going on my list for stocking stuffers this year!
Meal Service
Seriously. This is one of the best gifts for anyone. Sunbasket is a meal service that will deliver meals straight to your front door. I chose SunBasket because I try to feed our family only organic food, and SunBasket is one of the more “natural” meal service options out there. Their meats are all organic and GMO-free. If you regularly buy organic food, you’ll quickly realize that SunBasket is a steal for how much organic food you get, not to mention the recipes are delicious and it’s so easy.
If you’ve never used a meal service before, here’s a quick rundown.
You sign up for an account and select a meal plan type (think: family, vegetarian, paleo, etc).
Then, every week (or about once a month), you can preview weekly menus for the next few weeks. You get to select meals that you think your family would like from the list.
Then, a box of food shows up on your doorstep.
Nicely chilled and ready to stow away into the fridge with all the necessary information like recipes and info sheets.
You pull out the recipe, and ingredients for the day’s meal, and cook away.
When our life was crazy busy, SunBasket was a lifesaver, and it felt great knowing our family was eating organic instead of whatever fake stuff they’re sneaking into foods at restaurants these days.
This is thewallet every girl needs. Like seriously. The Hobo Lauren wallet is one of the absolute most versatile wallets out there. I have one that I’ve used every day for at least the past 5 years and it’s still going strong. I absolutely love it and it’s worth every. single. penny.
Lauren wallets are made with two main sections that unfold easily to hold your most-used cards and ID. I also use it as my recent receipts holder, since it closes back up magnetically. Plus, each side opens with a kiss clasp to hold a ton of cards and has all kinds of sections that a girl needs to organize life and all those discount cards, coupons and cash. The best part? It’s made of leather and has a cute fabric interior.
Mine has lasted forever and I absolutely love it.
Robot Vacuum
Yikes. You’re probably thinking I’m going to recommend some $300 robot vacuum to buy for your mother-in-law, right? No way. But every lady loves the luxurious idea of a maid or a butler (unless they’re one of those totally bonkers people who find cleaning therapeutic. If you or your gift recipient are one of them, I envy y’all.).
Now, we are completely dust bunny free. This robot vacuum has saved our house from the always-dirty house that it was. Just running our little robot vacuum once or twice a week has made a huge difference in how clean the house is and, consequently, my stress level. If you’re gifting to a busy mom or feeble Grandma, this should be at the top of your list. And at under $150 it just might be in your budget.
There you have it. My gift guide for “her,” whoever she may be. Hopefully, you have a ton of awesome gift ideas for your girlfriend, mom, best friend, and even yourself.
And since I know the boyfriends and husbands can be clueless help them out and send this post to them. You can click the Facebook button below this post and send this post in a Facebook message. 🙂
Best Gift Guide for Her
So, there you have it! These are some of my favorite gifts I’ll be giving this year (and maybe asking the hubs for!).
Gift buying for my husband is always a challenge. I can never come up with many gift ideas for him! I adore the guy and would give him anything, but he usually tells me he wants something outrageous or nothing at all. Lame.
So, a girl’s gotta find something to get her guy (or even her dad, for that matter). You know what I’m talking about. Even if he goes to buy that $300 game console the week before Christmas, he still needs something to open on Christmas morning. And if he’s already spent all the spending money the month before his birthday, what’s a birthday party without a present to open?
Plus, I know every time I turn around there’s another holiday I have to buy a gift for (Father’s day, birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, Valentine’s, I-know-I’m-missing-another).
So, here are some of my go-to gift ideas for guys.
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
My husband doesn’t go anywhere without his water bottle. Heading to Home Depot to grab some supplies? There’s a water bottle at my feet in the car. Work? He’s got it loaded and ready to go. Yard work? It’s always full of ice and freezing water for hot summer days. Because he uses them so much, we’ve gone through our share of water bottles. We’ve tried one similar to this one and liked it for a while until we got this one. He said this one is designed better and he likes that the lid isn’t always in his face like the other one. But! I can attest to the fact that both of these water bottles will hold ice water for over 24 hours!
Electric Razor
If your guy is a guy he probably needs one of these. Even guys with beards need to shave sometimes (like their necks and cheeks…I had no idea about this until I got married?!!).
An electric razor might be his favorite new thing. My husband has really sensitive skin, and regular razors always give him razor burn, no matter what he does to prevent it. Plus, shaving takes him an extra 15 minutes every morning getting ready, and I know it’s 15 minutes a day he’d rather be sleeping in the morning. So, I’m thinking about getting him one of these electric razors made for sensitive skin. It will save him time shaving (the reviews say it’s a faster shave) and hopefully get rid of his razor burn! Win win!
Beard Trimmer
If your man doesn’t have a beard, hear me out here. Even without a beard, sometimes a guy needs a trim. That scruffy just-shaved-yesterday look is really in style right now and it’s almost impossible to get that look without the right trimmer. Plus, sideburns. Hello.
Once we finally figured out that beard trimmers could get him the look he wanted, it was impossible to find one that would hold a charge. We spent lots of money testing them out before we finally found the one. This trimmer is amazing. He’s had it for almost a year now and has only charged it like 3 times. And that’s with using it every day.
He really likes to rock the scruffy look, and we found that a lot of trimmers wouldn’t shave close enough to give him the just-shaved-yesterday look. This trimmer fits the bill perfectly.
Bags for Men
If your husband goes to work in the morning, there’s a good chance he needs a few things to help him make it through the day. My husband carries ear phones, eye glasses, medicine, an extra external hard drive for work, an extra charger, his water bottle, pens, and a few other miscellaneous things to work every day. Plus, he carries a separate bag to the gym full of typical gym stuff like clothes, shoes, and toiletries.
And he also has two messenger bags. This one is a fluke that turned out great. He has a super nice all leather messenger bag that is large enough to carry the laptop home from work if he needs to. I found it on sale at a Fossil Outlet Store. I couldn’t find it online, but it’s pretty simlar to this one on Amazon.
We have managed to cover every scenario for traveling to work and weekend travel with these four bags.
Watch
Okay, so I totally get it that this is on the pricier end of things. But I’m including it here because my husband LOOOVES his. We have Samsung phones (which we also love so much even after owning iPhones), so he jumped for the Samsung S3 watch. They have different versions, but he’s a more rugged/sportier guy and opted for the tactical looking watch.
I’m blown away by the functionality of it. He can do everything on his watch that he can on his phone (except he needs some practice typing :P). He can sit through dinner with us without needing to check emails buzzing through on his phone because he can glance at his watch and make sure it isn’t someone needing something from work. He can be in a meeting and see a text from me come through without feeling like he’s being rude to his boss or whoever he’s meeting with.
So, if you’ve been on the fence about getting a smartwatch, they’re amazing. I’ve even thought about getting one as a stay at home mom just so I don’t have the temptation to be glued to my phone all day, but I can still feel safe knowing I’m getting calls and messages.
Bluetooth Headphones
Who doesn’t need headphones these days? If you drive, workout, do yard work, listen to podcasts or music, you need headphones. I’m not saying you have to have the most expensive headphones, but my husband can get picky at times. He picked out these Jaybird X3 headphones and loves them.
He has err, um, spacious ears and earbuds tend to fall out while he’s working out or mowing the yard. But who wants to walk around looking like 1985 is calling with big earphones over their ears? (Unless you’re cool like that, I guess. (For the record, he did rock that look for the past 3 years with his Bose headphones)). So, now, he has these earphones that won’t fall out and sound almost as good as Bose.
Running/Workout Belt
Hear me out here.
Not every guy loves working out, but my guess is that there are times when your guy will need to work or play hands-free, but you probably still want him to have his phone handy. These running belts are the perfect answer. My hubs uses it at the gym so he can listen to audiobooks while he’s biking, but he’s used it other times (like that time he needed to climb on the roof and didn’t want his phone to fall out of his pocket). They’re cheap and make an excellent stocking stuffer.
My husband has a metal wallet now, but it has a slot on one side and a money clip on the other. If he doesn’t have the exact right amount of cards in his wallet, they’ll all fall out because of the fixed size. Plus, he can never streamline it to make it smaller. So, shhhh…this is going in his stocking this year!
Gift Ideas for Him
I hope I’ve given you some great gift ideas for him this year. I’d love to hear what you plan on giving your “him” this year for ___________________ (insert holiday here). Drop a line in the comments below and I’d love to hear your ideas!
I’m writing this post of must-have gifts for bloggers for my husband. (psst. and you might want to give this list to your husband, too.)
There is an endless number of products or services a blogger could want to have prepaid or even courses to take. Believe me, I have a list for each one!
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
But when it comes to gifts for bloggers, sometimes our friends and family aren’t really wanting to dish out to pay for our email service subscription. Because, where’s the fun in that?
Plus, my mom always said that a gift wasn’t something you planned on buying or were going to buy anyway (which is why I only got extra fancy toothbrushes in my stocking, not boring ones).
So, here are some of my favorite gifts for bloggers that are on my wishlist this year.
I sit in my desk chair for hours a day (who are we kidding?! hours at night. :P) and it’s served its time. So, a desk chair is a big ticket present if you’re wanting to shoot for the wow factor. I don’t know any girl who wouldn’t want a gorgeous desk chair to sit in.
I’m going to preface this with I don’t sell the oils. I’m not one of “those” people, but I do use oils at my desk. I have an awesome diffuser that I try to keep puffing away with oils that will help me with whatever I am needing for the day (comfort, inspiration, less anxiety). I’m needing a few different flavors, so they are on my list.
“Those” people will say that you can only buy quality oils at one of “their” companies, but I have compared and love Eden’s Garden. You can get them on Amazon (and they have comparable blends to the other companies), but I think it might be cheaper to buy directly from their website. Their oils are 100% pure therapeutic and smell stronger to me. Plus, some of their oils are organic.
Right now I’m using the keyboard that came with the computer. It’s pretty standard. Big, clunky. You get the idea. But, I recently opened up my old mac laptop and started missing my old keyboard.
Whewwww…..what a breath of fresh air. I type more than 99% of Grammarly users, so I would love for every stroke to be a happy one. Amiright?
I’m currently using a desk lamp that probably belongs tucked away in a guest bedroom somewhere, not out in front of me all day and all night. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute and all. I’m just ready for something that looks a little more….productive looking.
I can’t tell you how many water rings are on my glass desk because of my water glass condensating all over the place. I just got this amazing stainless insulated cup in white (slim 24oz) and it’s amazing. It’s beautiful and functional. And less than $30. You can’t get any better than that!
Cute work at home clothes
Let’s get real here for a minute. I kick around in leggings, tank tops, and sloppy overshirts. I look like I just rolled out of a tiger fight in my bed when my husband gets home most days.
Would I love for my home clothes to be cute? Um, yes!! But who’s going to spend good money on cute home clothes when date night clothes are usually more priority?
Right.
Also, my husband probably can’t go out and buy this for me, so I’ll need a gift card. But, if I’m given the gift of home clothes, I’ll probably buy cute clothes I can kick in at home.
Girly office supplies/organization
I love having a cute organized desk for working from home. It’s important. I get stressed out when it’s a mess and I’m more eager to get to work when it’s cute.
Meal Service
Am I asking for too much here? Possibly, but it’s an idea worth exploring, right? Being a work from home mama is a long-hour kind of day. The minutes and hours sneak away throughout the day because kids, snack times, and potty breaks are calling. Sometimes, I’m crunching right up until the hubs walks in the door.
Having a stash of pre-cooked meals (or even having one available every week or two) could save a ton of stress.
If a meal service sounds kind of hoity-toity to you, a simple coupon book of freebie takeout days (preferably already purchased onto gift cards so there is less to worry about with the budget).
That’s right. A planner. This is the gift to beat all gifts. Want to know why? Because when you have goals and a plan plus trackable accountability you’re going to start getting stuff done. No more spinning your wheels when you have list full of empty checkboxes just waiting to get checked off. Feeling me?
And when you start getting those boxes checked off, you’ll be more productive, profitable, and you’ll have more time. I’m pretty sure that’s what heaven is going to be like.
As a work a home mom, I always feel like I need to be listing to what’s up in the house (even during naptimes). So, I never really get to jam out with my earphones in for productivity sessions.
But I can totally flip on a speaker and slam out some great work to my productivity music. (https://www.helpscout.net/blog/music-productivity/)
Audiobooks
I am terrible at making time for reading, but I have a huge stack of audiobooks saved up for the day I get my glorious speaker. Imagine all I could learn while I’m slamming out some work behind my new keyboard!
DSLR Camera
She might not tell you, but every blogger wishes she knew how to take better pictures and had the equipment to make it happen. You might have just started sweating bullets, but there are options out there for every budget. And if she already has a camera, she probably wants a sweet lens or cute camera bag to go with it. You can’t go wrong with either of those.
psst. If you’re thinking about buying your first DSLR camera, be sure to check out this post before you actually buy it!
There you have it! My very own Christmas list list of awesome gifts for your favorite blogger! What’s on your list for yourself or a friend in the blogging business?
Be sure to pin this post so you don’t forget any of these awesome ideas or my favorite products for blogging!
It’s a revealing activity that I absolutely adore. Of course, the answers could change from minute to minute with a preschooler, but it’s so revealing to hear what’s in his heart for this season. (Matt. 15.18)
But it’s also fun to do a quick interview whenever you get the chance. Driving in the car, waiting at a doctor’s office, or even during quiet-time right before bed are great opportunities to both entertain your kids and peek into their hearts. Plus, it will probably make your child feel extra special with all of the interest in things he or she thinks and likes.
Our church is doing a series on family and the bulletins have had family activities to do for the week. This week’s family challenge was to eat dinner together. They also include a list of conversation starters.
I was on my way somewhere in the car and had last week’s bulletin beside me. In lieu of asking these questions at the dinner table, I went ahead and asked my 3-year-old while we were stuck in traffic.
I didn’t encourage or doctor his answers at all. I only translated them from Graham language to adult language.
Enjoy! 😀
Kid Interview Questions
What made you laugh today? We went potty at the same time. (In separate bathrooms.)
What’s the hardest part about growing up? Stopping (what I’m doing) to eat.
What’s the best thing about being a part of our family? Buying (Annie’s) chocolate bunnies.
What would you change about our family if you could? I’d turn us into cars.
What are you most thankful for in your life? Jesus. And chocolate bunnies.
What are three things you wish I knew about you? I don’t know a story about that.
What’s the one thing you’d most like to learn how to do and why? Turn into a monster machine. (Obviously.)
I loved his answers so much, I made a point to write down the answers later that night. It’s an awesome keepsake for his memory book or baby album and it was a fun way to pass the time.
I love shopping for deals on Amazon for Christmas gifts. Online holiday shopping is absolutely amazing. I don’t have to waste gas driving around looking for ideas or deals. I don’t even have to change out of my pajamas. What could be better than that?
Getting awesome deals. That’s even better than that. Doing holiday shopping online can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have an easy system in place.
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
I keep multiple wish lists, and they carry over from one Christmas to the next. I inevitably wish for a lot of presents that never make it under the Christmas tree, so I just keep those on my wish list until next year. If they are still relevant ideas, that’s that many gifts I don’t have to hunt down.
Amazon also tracks how much the item was originally when you added it to your wish list, so you can easily scroll through and see if anything is marked down and by what percentage.
You can see in this example, that this toy was 121.67 when I added it, and now it’s 23% off that price. A whopping 23% off is a pretty big deal when you’re talking about a big ticket present like this one.
If you didn’t have your Christmas list for this year set in January, don’t worry! There is still time to save money on Christmas presents by getting deals on Amazon. But you do need to start planning right now.
Here’s why: Black Friday isn’t what it once was. And Cyber Monday is not what it once was. Retailers are starting Christmas sales earlier every year, and Amazon is no different. They start Lightning Sales in early November, so be ready before then with your wishlist.
Create your wishlist early so you can be notified if something in your wishlist is a Lightning Deal without even needing to watch the Lightning deals. It’s still a great idea to keep your eye out for the named sale days (I stay by the computer all day during Melissa & Doug sale days), just to see if there is an item for sale that is comparable to the item on your list.
The How To
So, here’s all you need to do to snag a deal on Amazon for the holidays.
Take time this week or weekend to shop around for gifts you would like to buy.
Add them to an Amazon wishlist. Name it something like 2018 Christmas.
Check sale sites for deal days for product sales on Amazon you would likely be interested in (or categories you would be interested in). Add those days to your calendar.
Sit back and wait for notifications from Amazon or your calendar when a sale hits that can save you some money.
Check in occasionally to see if anything is on sale on your wish list.
Enjoy dragging the huge pile of boxes inside your house while you’re wearing your pajamas.
Use all that money you saved to celebrate your Pro Amazon Shopper Status you just attained by rockstar shopping for Christmas deals on Amazon.
Pin this on your Christmas board so you don’t forget to do this next year. 😉
Want to know how to decorate for fall? Want a fast and easy fall decorating idea on the cheap with real pumpkins? Awesome! I’m going to tell you exactly that!
And the good news is it’s crazy easy, so this will be a short blog post.
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
You probably already have decorations out in your home. Home decor is a staple in even the most basic home. You probably have a table or mantle that has an element of decor on it. Let’s start there.
Have a good look at the pieces in your decor arrangement. What are some smaller elements in your arrangement? In my arrangement, I had small/medium boxwood balls. Those things are so versatile. I got mine half off at Hobby Lobby and haven’t looked back.
Anyway, I replaced some of the smaller boxwood balls with a few pumpkins. I didn’t have enough pumpkins to replace all the boxwood balls and still have some variety, so I left a few and replaced a few. Then, I just put the replaced boxwood ball down on the shelf to give the arrangement some variety.
And to balance the arrangement out, I added some pumpkins on the shelf. I had one fake cloth pumpkin hanging around, so I added it to the arrangement, too. That one just gave it some variety and helped tone down the colors coming off of the real pumpkins.
I love how it turned out. It fits in with the rest of my home decor but still has a fall feel. It took me about 5 minutes to throw pumpkins up on the mantle. I didn’t have to unpack any fall decor items from the attic or pack up any of my regular decor items.
It’s easy. It looks awesome (in my busy mama opinion). And it’s festive. Score!
Every Christmas Eve, I run through a Christmas Eve checklist of things I make a point to accomplish. It’s one of my most favorite days of the year.
Everyone is finally savoring the Christmas holidays. Most all of the hustle and bustle of holiday prep is over. The presents are (almost all) wrapped. The menu is set. The work cram to get everything done before the holidays is over. And everyone finally takes a few breaths on Christmas Eve.
The anticipation of presents is still a tangible feeling in the air, and no one is preoccupied with their presents, yet. It’s just the best day of the entire holiday season (except, maybe, my birthday).
And it’s for all those reasons that I make sure our family sets time aside to spend time together during one of the most special days of the holiday season. I finally feel like we have some traditions built up, and keeping those sacred is important to me.
Here’s how my Christmas Eve goes. I’ll give you a printable form of my the Christmas Eve checklist.
Special Holiday Breakfast
We wake up and have holiday breakfast (usually pancakes). I absolutely adore this recipe for pumpkin pancakes with pecan maple syrup. So much, that I make it just for myself. Yes. It’s a big deal. Everyone else gets to choose their own breakfast. We either all have our own flavor of pancakes (chocolate chip pancakes are a big hit as a special holiday treat), or we have chocolate gravy and biscuits. Yes. And it’s amazing. So, either one or the other.
Tidy Up and Charge Batteries
Then, I clean up the house. Just a quick pickup and cleanup. I also make sure to charge the batteries early in the morning because there are plenty of opportunities for photos during the day.
Bake Cookies
After the house is feeling fresh and tidy (and the pancakes settle), we all get in the kitchen. Christmas cookies are always on our to do list for Christmas Eve. We bake them and decorate them. It makes a huge mess, but it’s a great activity for memory making. It’s also a fun opportunity to be creative as a family.
We eat a few cookies and leave a few cookies for Santa.
Lunchtime happens somewhere along this timeline, depending on how we’re feeling. We usually have a cookie-related tummy ache.
Christmas Eve Box
The next thing on our list to do for the day is to open our Christmas Eve box. On to the party!
We have one family box. It has our coordinating (not necessarily matching) family Christmas pajamas, a movie, movie theater snacks, cocoa mix, and possibly a small gift for everyone (chapstick, a book, or a toy car).
Christmas Eve Movie
We all put on our pajamas and snuggle in for a fun family time watching our movie. It was only Nathan and I for our very first year of our Christmas Eve box, and we watched White Christmas. It was an absolute treat! The definitely don’t make movies (or actors/actresses) like that anymore!
Read Christmas Story
After our movie, we read the Christmas story from Luke 2.1-20. And we pray together as a family. It’s a great time to reflect on what we’ve already been gifted. We talk about the things we are most thankful to give us a grateful heart and to put the gifts of tomorrow in perspective. We reflect on the year we’ve had.
Christmas Eve Bedtime Routine
After our quiet story time, we crawl into bed. I say “we.” I mean Graham and Nathan. I usually stay up to get things ready for tomorrow. First, I will usually tidy things up again. No one wants to open presents in a messy living room (or take pictures in a messy living room). I switch fresh batteries into my camera. I drop an easy breakfast recipe into the crock pot for Christmas morning. It’s always so busy, we don’t get a chance to think about eating until about 11am. And by then, we’re huuuungray. So, I like to have this taken care of before I even go to sleep on Christmas Eve.
The last thing I do for the night is set out the presents. It’s a really happy time for my mama heart. I like to make sure everything is just right. I try to make sure Graham will get to the right presents in just the right order. And I take photos. It’s quiet. The Christmas lights are glowing and filling the room with soft light. It’s a time that I can savor all the work I’ve put into the last few weeks.
So, there you have it. An easy Christmas Eve full of memory making family time.
You can keep it on your fridge so you don’t forget anything on Christmas Eve.
Easy Christmas Day
Now, breakfast will be ready when you wake up. The house will be extra tidy. Your camera will be all juiced up and ready to go. You will have the chance to be present with your family, instead of being the busy mom taking care of last minute emergencies.
It will be an easy Christmas Day with my must-have Christmas Eve checklist.
Don’t forget to pin this post so you can find the checklist again next year!
Want to know how to decorate for fall? Want a fast and easy fall decorating idea on the cheap with real pumpkins? Awesome! I’m going to tell you exactly that!
And the good news is it’s crazy easy, so this will be a short blog post.
This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.
You probably already have decorations out in your home. Home decor is a staple in even the most basic home. You probably have a table or mantle that has an element of decor on it. Let’s start there.
Have a good look at the pieces in your decor arrangement. What are some smaller elements in your arrangement? In my arrangement, I had small/medium boxwood balls. Those things are so versatile. I got mine half off at Hobby Lobby and haven’t looked back.
Anyway, I replaced some of the smaller boxwood balls with a few pumpkins. I didn’t have enough pumpkins to replace all the boxwood balls and still have some variety, so I left a few and replaced a few. Then, I just put the replaced boxwood ball down on the shelf to give the arrangement some variety.
And to balance the arrangement out, I added some pumpkins on the shelf. I had one fake cloth pumpkin hanging around, so I added it to the arrangement, too. That one just gave it some variety and helped tone down the colors coming off of the real pumpkins.
I love how it turned out. It fits in with the rest of my home decor but still has a fall feel. It took me about 5 minutes to throw pumpkins up on the mantle. I didn’t have to unpack any fall decor items from the attic or pack up any of my regular decor items.
It’s easy. It looks awesome (in my busy mama opinion). And it’s festive. Score!